Chile: “Don't Fear the Internet,” the Case of Ciudadano Inteligente

Note: Article [es] by Derechos Digitales originally published in Spanish, translated by Silvia Viñas.

Public information in Chile is protected by copyright. This marks at least two fundamental truths: first, there is a major barrier to accessing data produced by the state; and second, there is little or nothing you can do with that data, due to the well-known “all rights reserved” limitation. This calls into question the public nature of such data.

These intellectual property rights that protect information produced by the state are absurd not only because citizens can’t access public information, but also because in a digital context they hinder initiatives related to transparency and control of the work of public entities.

An emblematic case that reflects the latter problem is evident in the following testimony by the Ciudadano Inteligente [Intelligent Citizen] foundation. With initiatives that push for transparency in public institutions in Chile, Ciudadano Inteligente is always facing the dilemma of what right should prevail over the other: the state's intellectual property rights over the data, or the citizens’ right to access public information. As you can see in the video below, for Ciudadano Inteligente the answer is clear and encouraging: #NoTemasaInternet (Don't fear the Internet).

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